Evangelical Cultural Engagement: Shifting Grammars
Sometimes we get a feeling in our gut that is more than indigestion. The source of my scholarly discontent has often been related to language. Specifically, I have been concerned with the ways in which some Christians speak about the believer’s role in the world. This question typically falls under the auspices of a field we might call “theology and culture.” It’s somewhat unhelpful to use this phrase as it is broad enough to include...
Recommended Books (Fall 2017)
“Words are the progeny of the soul,” states Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 150-215).[1] As our bodies produce children for posterity, so do our souls. Just as we all wish to produce good children to build up the coming generation, Clement argues we should be careful to leave only the best words to those who come after us. In this way of thinking, “wisdom is a communicative and philanthropic thing.”[2] For this reason, Clement cautions us...
Art and Christian Excellence
As I was browsing home décor items recently, I encountered some interesting (to use a kind word) pieces. One was a reprint of DaVinci’s Last Supper, which is all well and good, but this was not the only image in the picture. Superimposed over the famous painting in a 1990s holographic nightmare was an atrocious rendering of Jesus on the cross. I don’t think this particular piece nor two other similar works were intended to mock the...
Transformational Leadership, Books, and Politics: An Interview with Allison Ball
by Frank Thornsbury You’ve probably heard the proverb, “Good leaders are also good readers.” Well, look no further for evidence of this truth than the life and career of Allison Ball, Kentucky’s state treasurer and the youngest female constitutional officer in the United States. She’s no stranger to the pages of an inspiring biography or a tangled spy yarn or the Book that matters the most. Indeed, Treasurer Ball herself seems to...
The Vine Project: A Review
Does church make you tired? By this I don’t mean do the sermons make you sleepy. But are the programs, events, and demands too many, and the laborers too few? From my experience, many pastors, deacons, and laymen feel this way. They’re overworked, underequipped, and a bit distressed by the seeming lack of success that their church is experiencing. The problem may be that twenty percent of the members are doing eighty percent of the...
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